I have been brought up in a home with a very strong religious family background; I was taught that the only acceptable form of marriage is that between people of opposite sex. Same sex marriage is a taboo and I don't think that gay marriages should be legalized. Things are easier said than done and thus most people usually have infinite different opinions on what behavior is morally upright. Homosexuals are not like heterosexuals and the belief that they should not be treated any lesser because of their sexual orientation is wrong. In recent years, the issue of gay, homosexuality and lesbian marriages has become very protuberant in American politics. There have been many questions raised as to whether gay marriages should be legalized in the political arena. Justice John Paul Stevens said "the fact that the governing majority in a state has traditionally viewed a particular practice as immoral is not sufficient reason for upholding a law prohibiting the practice" (Caldwell par. 7). The idea that gay marriages could be legalized and gay given equal rights that heterosexuals enjoy has seen many people condemn the practice. Many religious leaders have swayed their followers against the homosexuals. Two gay Lebanese men were assaulted by Lebanese Armed Forces in Beirut Sassine Square area. (Mahdawi, par. 9). The two men were found embracing in the lobby of an abandoned building and they were dragged into the street and beaten. "One, half naked, was even exhibited to bystanders....just for fun," said a statement by Helem a Lebanese gay right organization.

Same sex marriage is viewed by many people as contradicting the natural law. It has been denounced and often not allowed from as early as the Romans times. It is seen as a violation of the natural cause of doing things. However things have changed over years and homosexual relations are accepted and morally and socially accepted in some societies. These progressive states have even legalized same sex marriages and awards gay equal legal benefits and statuses. These social moves have resulted in a trend towards acceptance of same sex unions and they have made many people accept them despite the universal view of the practice as unnatural. Massachusetts became the first state in the US to legalize recognize gay marriage's in 2004. This opened up debates over same sex marriages in the US. These debates concurrently happen on many levels of society and mostly result in contradictory results in the political arena.

I don't believe that gay marriages should be legalized and I would be against all legislation supporting gay marriages. The bible does not support homosexuality and this is one of the reasons that I am not in support of gay marriages. Children ought to be raised in an environment where there is a mother and a father. "The ubiquity of conjugal, male-female marriage and the complete absence of same sex marriage in history underscore the point that as a matter of universal understanding marriage involved conjugal unions exclusively. That is a view that is still widely held, especially among religions with a natural law tradition such as Catholicism" (Warde, par. 11). The bible defines marriage as an institution that only men and women are supposed to enter. It is through such values that America is based. There is need to reduce the gay and lesbian persons' own independence that has been increasing gradually.

The United State of America principles and integrities are built upon the foundation of equality for all. This however should not be taken to mean that gay marriages should have equal rights and privileges as heterosexuals. The coveted marriage sacrament needs to be protected. Marriage under the federal law in the Defense of Marriage Act is defined as a union where one man and one woman live together. The former US president, George W. Bush sought to constitutionally protect the most fundamental institution of civilization. (Cadwell, par.6) "Claims of sexual freedom are held to be absolute and non -negotiable, analogous to older rights such as freedom of religion, assembly and speech.

The president's ideas concurred with the majority and this shows that other people do not also agree with legalization of gay marriages. Politicians have been "fence straddling" when it comes to gay marriages, they do not agree that gays deserve full rights. The Vatican also launched an initiative which opposes gay marriages.

Many civil rights movements have been pushing for ban of same sex marriage, a belief held by many civil rights activists and movements. Gay couples should not be treated like heterosexual couples because they threaten the institution of marriage. They should not be given all marriage rights and all civil liberties that come with it. Gay marriages have led to the reduction of importance of the institution of marriage in the modern world. Young people do not place much value on marriage nowadays and most of them opt to remain single because they do not view marriage as sacred as had been done in the past. Marriage is a distinctive pledge linking a man and a woman. It usually provides a base for a society structure and acts as safety mesh to cater for children who are gotten in the union. Every child needs a mother and a father while growing up and this fact cannot be disputed. The child is able to conceive, develop and is trained in a morally upright manner.

Gay marriage is a cheap imitation of marriage and will never match the standards of same sex marriage. Parents usually try to bring up their children to have good sense of moral and legal values and this does not include accepting gay marriages. For these reasons gay marriages should not be awarded similar legal acknowledgment as heterosexual marriage. Same sex partners union is not right. My opinion should not make me be seen as a gay hater or basher, I believe that in our daily lives we should care, help and encourage each other as God wants us to do, but my standpoint is that gay marriages are wrong when viewed from all moral and religious perspectives. The fact that many people have come to acknowledge it does not alter my standpoint and I don't believe it's going to change any time soon.